Everything below is what a beginner actually needs first: greetings, polite words, numbers, family, food, time and getting around. Each entry shows the Zulu spelling, the English meaning, and a respelling with the stressed syllable in capitals so you can say it out loud without guessing.
Igama lami ngu-AmaraMy name is Amara/ee-GA-ma LA-mee ngoo a-MA-ra/
Unjani?How are you?/oon-JA-nee/
NgikhonaI am fine/ngee-KHO-na/
AmanziWater/a-MAN-zee/
Out and about
Everyday nouns and asking for things
UkudlaFood/oo-KOOD-la/
UmnganeFriend/oom-NGA-neh/
IndluHouse/IND-loo/
ImaketheMarket/ee-ma-KEH-teh/
Malini?How much?/ma-LEE-nee/
Ngifuna amanziI want water/ngee-FOO-na a-MAN-zee/
AngiqondiI don't understand/an-gee-KLON-dee/
NgisizeHelp me/ngee-SEE-zeh/
Counting
Numbers one to ten
KunyeOne/KOO-nyeh/
KubiliTwo/koo-BEE-lee/
KuthathuThree/koo-TA-too/
KuneFour/KOO-neh/
KuhlanuFive/koo-SHLA-noo/
IsithuphaSix/ee-see-TOO-pha/
IshumiTen/ee-SHOO-mee/
Zingaki?How many?/zeen-GA-kee/
Family
The people closest to you
UmamaMother/oo-MA-ma/
UbabaFather/oo-BA-ba/
UmfowethuMy brother/oom-fo-WEH-too/
UdadewethuMy sister/oo-da-deh-WEH-too/
InganeChild/in-GA-neh/
UmndeniFamily/oom-NDEH-nee/
UmfaziWife/oom-FA-zee/
UmyeniHusband/oom-YEH-nee/
Days and times
Say when something happens
NamuhlaToday/na-MOO-hla/
KusasaTomorrow/koo-SA-sa/
IzoloYesterday/ee-ZOH-loh/
ManjeNow/MAN-jeh/
EkuseniMorning/eh-koo-SEH-nee/
NtambamaAfternoon/ntam-BA-ma/
EbusukuNight/eh-boo-SOO-koo/
UsukuDay/oo-SOO-koo/
Food and drink
Order and share a meal
AmanziWater/a-MAN-zee/
UkudlaFood/oo-KOO-dla/
IsinkwaBread/ee-SIN-kwa/
InyamaMeat/ee-NYA-ma/
UbisiMilk/oo-BEE-see/
ItiyeTea/ee-TEE-yeh/
NgilambileI am hungry/ngee-lam-BEE-leh/
KumnandiIt is tasty/koom-NAN-dee/
Getting around town
Directions and travel words
ImotoCar/ee-MOH-toh/
UmgwaqoRoad/oom-GWA-qo/
IndluHouse/IN-dloo/
IsitoloShop/ee-see-TOH-loh/
KwesokunxeleLeft/kweh-soh-koo-NXEH-leh/
KwesokudlaRight/kweh-soh-KOOD-la/
Qonda phambiliGo straight/QON-da pam-BEE-lee/
YimaStop/YEE-ma/
Questions people ask about Zulu
Is Zulu hard to learn?
c, q and x spell three different clicks — cha (no) starts with a dental click, not a ch sound.
hl is a breathy side-of-the-tongue sound, so kuhlanu (five) is nothing like English hl.
Verbs carry the subject as a prefix: ngiyabonga is literally I-am-thanking.
Where is Zulu spoken?
South Africa, with speakers in Eswatini, Lesotho and Zimbabwe — around 12 million first-language speakers. Writing system: Latin alphabet, including the letters c, q and x for click sounds.
Can I learn Zulu for free?
Yes. This phrasebook is free to read, and SemaSoma gives you the first three units of the course plus 15 translations a day before anything is paid.